Accelerated Chamber Music

This summer we will continue one of our signature programs at CSS - Accelerated Chamber Music. This program is an opportunity for our more experienced applicants to dive deep into the art of collaboration. Participants will be accepted based on audition, requiring additional chamber music materials beyond the standard CSS audition – see below for details. 

These quartets will have a more intensive rehearsal and coaching schedule, with the expectation that they will work through a complete string quartet. Accelerated groups will perform all of the movements throughout the institute on the evening live-streamed concert series.  

Accelerated Chamber Music is meant for a student with a fairly strong background in chamber music study and performance already. If this isn’t you, that’s ok! All of our Center Stage Strings students, regardless of Accelerated status, will participate in the main track of chamber music, working in depth with our coaches through a wide range of repertoire. Students will participate in chamber-specific workshops with top artists in the field on the subjects of rehearsal technique, score study and beyond. Non-Accelerated students will also have the opportunity to perform and work with our chamber music faculty, and also to engage in concerts throughout the community at our partner programs in the Ann Arbor area. 

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Additional Application Materials

Students wishing to be considered for this program will need to prepare the following piece and excerpts in addition to their regular audition repertoire.

NOTE: Accelerated videos must be submitted in one single file.

  • Exposition of the first mvmt of a Mozart violin concerto. Piano not required, but accepted.

    Chamber Music Excerpts (Violin): Beethoven String Quartet Op.18 no. 4, first mvmt beginning to m.77 (first violin part) AND Brahms String Quartet op. 67 no. 3, first mvmt beginning to m.82 (first violin part)

    Note: the application portal will ask for these in one file, but you may record these as separate takes and edit them together if you wish. It does not need to be an uninterrupted take.

  • Exposition of the Stamitz Viola Concerto in D Major, first movement (piano not required, but accepted) OR the first movement of a viola Sonata by Brahms, Hindemith, Vieuxtemps, Schubert or Clarke. Other Sonatas may be considered with prior approval.

    Chamber Music Excerpts (Viola): Mozart “Kegelstatt” Trio in E flat Major K. 498, first movement mm. 57-End AND Brahms Quartet No. 3 Op. 67, third movement (Agitato) Beginning to mm. 57.

    Note: the application portal will ask for these in one file, but you may record these as separate takes and edit them together if you wish. It does not need to be an uninterrupted take.

  • Exposition of the first movement of Haydn cello concertos in C Major or D Major (piano not required, but accepted), OR the first movement of one of the last three Beethoven sonatas, Brahms F Major sonata, or Shostakovich sonata. Other sonatas may be considered upon approval.

    Chamber Music Excerpts (cello):Dvorak, String Quartet in F Major Op. 96 “American,” II. Lento:Measures 11-18; 31-42 AND Beethoven, Piano Trio in B-flat Major Op. 97 “Archduke,” IV. Allegro moderato; Measures 154-185


    Note: the application portal will ask for these in one file, but you may record these as separate takes and edit them together if you wish. It does not need to be an uninterrupted take.